The science of “The March of the Penguins” collides with E.B. White’s narrative from the “Trumpet of the Swan” with upbeat results. “Happy Feet” tells the story of an emperor penguin who doesn’t fit in with his community and proceeds to change it from the inside out. The music is rousing, the voices are perfect, the energy is high and the characters are fun. The fly in the ointment is an excessively complicated plot and a preachy conclusion.

The film plunges us deep into Antarctica and introduces us to the world of the Emperor Penguins. Lately, the animated trend is to create a human world that’s occupied by the animals (think “Flushed Away”). The filmmakers take a different route by using the real Antarctic penguins’ survival and mating habits as the core for the movie.

In this icy landscape, each penguin is born with a song to sing: the stronger the song, the more irresistible the penguin. Instead of relying on an original score, the filmmakers created an electrifying patchwork of songs from the last 50 years. In the penguin world, the works of Stevie Wonder mingle with songs by Prince, Brian Wilson, and the Beatles.

Born from a union of the flock’s two strongest singers is Mumble, a lovable iconoclast. Quickly a defect manifests itself: Mumble is tone-deaf, and the little guy struggles to keep his ego intact surrounded by disapproving penguins that include the elders, his peers, and even his own father.

Mumble, however, is special. From the moment he is born, he cannot contain the brushes, time-steps, flaps, riff-drops, and chugs that pulsate from his little penguin flippers.

Sadly, no one recognizes the little fellow’s talent. He is quickly ostracized and young sensitive children (and their sensitive parents) will have to endure some very sad moments.

Things don’t start going Mumble’s way until he meets up with four Hispanic Adelie Penguins who embrace his gifts, and offer companionship. With their help he’s able to not only rejoin the community, but also save them from a crisis when the fish supply begins to diminish.

The voice work on this film is particularly impressive. In other animated films, Robin Williams has been asked to be zany, spontaneous, crazy, and explosive (see “Aladdin” and “Robots”). Finally he’s been asked to create some dynamic characters.

E.G. Daily’s performance is also exceptional. Daily, a voice in animation for almost twenty years, provides just the right balance of pathos and pride to the role of the child version of Mumble.

Regrettably, “Happy Feet” runs out of energy when the third act takes an environmental turn. Suddenly, the story’s scope becomes too broad and complex. Storylines begin to smash into one another like ice floes. Simplicity and character development are washed aside for an ecological message with no clarity or subtlety.

But despite these shortcomings, “Happy Feet” brings a lot of energy and creativity to a genre that increasingly relies on slapstick and over-stimulation. The film is beautiful and atmospheric, the characters are charming and, most importantly, “Happy Feet” is a musical feat.